ATLANTA at ARIZONA 4:30 PM

[anjac]

Here are a few choice stats to ponder when picking the winner of the Atlanta at Arizona game this afternoon.

Arizona averages 292.1 yds/game thru the air(2nd in the NFL), but they could only manage 73.6 yds/game on the ground(32nd and last in the NFL)

Atlanta averages 208.5 yds/game thru the air(14th in the NFL), and rushes a convincingly best 152.7 yds/game(2nd in the NFL)

3rd down conversion average is about the same with Atlanta converting 43.4% of the time to Arizona's 41.9%.


Rushing defense goes to Arizona, giving up 4.0 yds/carry and 110.3 yds/game on the ground. This compares to Atlanta giving up a startling 4.9 yds/carry and 127.5 yds/game on the ground.

Thru the air Arizona has scored 31 TDs and has gained 231 1st downs. Atlanta has scored 16 TDs thru the air and gained 157 1st downs thru the same medium.

On the ground scoring goes to Atlanta with 23 TDs and 131 1st downs, to Arizona's 14TDs and 72 1st downs.

Where I feel the largest discrepency lies is in the catagory of passing defense, where Atlanta has only had 20 TDs scored on them thru the air, and Arizona has seen 36 passes hit the end zone(32nd and last in the NFL). Teams most often do not survive the playoffs when they rank last in an important catagory. Arizona is dead last in not one, but two important stats (passing TDs against them thru the air, and a paltry 73.6 yds/game rushing the ball)

Another figure I found interesting, that gives the edge to Atlanta, is punt returns. Arizona gives up an average of 13.1 yds/return to their opponents, while the Falcons only allow 2.5 yds/return.

Good luck to everyone on this very closely contested game.

"Everybody plays the fool, sometimes.....there's no exception to the rule."

[BUNK MORELAND]

Atlanta can win a grind it out 24-21 type game
I also think that ATL can hang with AZ if the score gets into the 30's

I just can't see myself playing AZ who has been so bad over the last few weeks ( with the exception of week 17 ) The way they get blown out when they lose scares me too much and i feel that ATL can jump on them early and force Warner to make mistakes
They have no momentum coming into these playoffs


I like ATLANTA to make some noise beyond this week as well